Conductor terminal



.1. c. Bcn-IAN CONDUCTOR TERMINAL Aug. 25, 1931.

Filed Jan. 25. '1929 o. im C.. d.

/ .attoznup Patented Aung. 25, 1931 UNITED U'sT-.Axilias JOHN C.BOHVAN', OF HAWIEY, PENNSYLVANIA CONDUCTOR 'rERMiNAL Application ledJanuary 23, 1929. ySerial No. 334,500.

This invention relates to a terminal adapted to be connected with anelectric conductor and by means of which the conductor may be attachedto a terminal post of a battery.

il One object of the invention is to provide a.

terminal which may be firmly attached to a conductor and by means ofwhich the conductor may be veiy firmly connected with a terminal post ofaA battery but easily released therefrom when necessary.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a device of thischaracter including a shank having one end adapted to be attached to aconductor and at its other end carrying a bill constituting a movablejaw which, when swung toward the shank,I will cause a battery post -tobe firmly gripped between the bill and shank.

Another object of the invention is to provide improved means for movingthe bill towards a gripping position and, releasably securing it in agripping position.

Another object of the invention 1s to permit the latch to be moved intoand out of opera.- tive engagement with the bill but prevent the latchfrom accidentally slipping out of operative engagement with the bill andalso t o cause pressure to be exerted when the latch is in an operativeposition and thereby cause the battery post to be very firmlygripped`between the bill and shank of the terminal.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereinFigure l is a top plan view showing the improved conductor terminalengaged with a battery post,

Fig. 2 is a side elevation with the conductor shown in section, the viewbeing taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l, and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the terminal taken on theline 33 of Fig. 1.

The improved terminal includes a shank `1 formed of conductive metal and'at one end the shank carries a sleeve 2 adapted to fit tightly about anend portion of a conductor 3 from which the insulation has been removed.The forward endk portionA of the shank is curved longitudinally andformed with teeth 4 upon its inner side face and at its forward end theshank terminates in a hinge ear 5 perforated to receive a pin v6 whichpasses through a companion ear 7 of a bill 8 and pivotally connects thebill with theshank. The

end portion ot' the bill connected with the shank is also curved'and itsinner side face is formed with teeth 9, as shown in Fig. l, and

byfreferring to this figure it will be seen that when the bill isswungtowards' the shank from an open position,'indioated by dotted lines to aclosed position, a terminal post 10 of a battery 1l may be firmlygripped between the curved ends ot' the shank and bill with the teethbit-ing into the post and not only servin;` to very effectively preventthe terminal from slipping about the battery post but also cut throughscale or other corrosion which may have formed upon the battery postandr cause a very good electric contact to be effected between theterminal and the battery post. The bill which maybe referred to as amovable liaw tapers towards its free end aiid has its free end portionformed with teeth 12 upon its outer side face constituting a In order toreleasably secureY theV bill or movable jaw in a closed position,there'has been provided a latch 13 pivotally mounted intermediate itslength upon the outer end poi.ion of a yoke or link 14 which isdisposedv .about the shank in encircling relation thereto.4 A resilientstrip. 15 which constitutes a yieldable hinge extends longitudinallyofthe outer side face of the shank and has one end portion secured tothe shank by fasteners 16. The spring strip diverge's from the shank andhas its tree endportion rolled to form a hinge sleeve 17 in which theend of t-lie link 14 opposite from the latch 13 is loosely received,therebyvpivotally mounting the link so that it. may be swung from aninoperative lposition, indicated by dotted lines in Fig. l, to lanoperative position.

When the terminal is in use, the sleeve 2- is firmly secured about thebared wires of a. conductor and the curved forward end portion of theshank or stationary jaw disposed against a side portion of a ybatterypost. The movable jaw or bill is swung from the open lposition towardsthe shank until the battery post is engaged between the shank and bill lof the bill.

and the link or yoke is then swung into position to extend across thefree end portion After the yoke has been swung to an operative position,the tapered end or tooth 18 of the latch is engaged with one of theteeth 12 and the larger end portion or handle 19 of the latch forcedforwardly until it contacts with the outer side face of the bill. Duringmovement of the latch' to the operative position shown in Fig. 1, thespring hinge 15 will be drawn towards thel shank and since it will havea tendency to return to its original position it will exert a pullingaction and cause the latch to be firmly held in the operative positionand draw the bill towards the shank. Therefore, the battery post will bevery firmly gripped between the shank and bill and the teeth 4 and 9will bite into the post and prevent the terminal from slipping out ofengagement with the battery post and also cut through scale which mayhave formed upon the battery post and effect a very good electricengagement between the battery post and the terminal. lVhen it isdesired to release the terminal from the battery post, it is merelynecessary to engage a screw driver blade or other prying implementbetween the bill and handle of the latch and force the latch outwardlyuntil it turns about the outer endof the yoke to a released position.l/Vhen the latch is released, the yoke may then be swung to theinoperative position, indicated by dotted lines in F ig. '1, and thebill swung away from the shank thereb releasing the battery post andallowing t 1e terminal to be removed therefrom.

Having thus described the invention, 1 claim:

1. A conductor terminal comprising an elongated rigid member adapted toreceive a conductor at one end, and having its free end curved, a clamphaving a curved end pivoted to the curved end of the rigid member, thefree end portion of said clamp being toothed a link embracing the rigidmember and clamp, a spring extending longitudinally of the rigid memberand having one end secured to the rigid member and its other end formedwith a sleeve receiving the link .to pivot-ally mount the link and alatch pivoted to the free end of the link and adapted to adjustablyengage the clamp to the free end portion of the clamp.

2. A conductor terminal comprising a rigid member adapted to receive aconductor elongated member curved and toothed at one end, a conductorattached to the opposite end of the member, a clamp curved and toothedat one end and pivoted to the curved end of the said member and toothedat its free end, a link embracing the member and clamp, a spring fixedlyconnected at one end to the member and having the link pivoted to itsfree end, and a latch pivoted to the free end of the link and adapted toadjustably engage the free toothed end of the clamp.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

` JOHN C. BQHAN.

at one end, a clamp pivoted to the opposite end of the rigid member, alink embracing` the rigid member and clamp, a spring fixedly connectedat one end to the rigid member and having the link pivoted to itsopposite end, and a latch pivoted to the free end of the link andadapted to adjustably engage the clamp.

3. A conductor terminal comprising an

